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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, August 22, 2013

20 students selected as Wells Scholars at Indiana University

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 22, 2013

EDITORS: Links to photographs of each Wells Scholar are available with their biographical information below. The following links will take you directly to the student in your city.

Martin Aguinis, of Delray Beach, Fla.
Michelle Aguinis, of Delray Beach, Fla.
Roshni Bag, of Carmel, Ind.
Elisa Dickey, of Sala Bolognese, Italy
Alexander Dunn, of Portland, Ind.
Aaron Dy, of Evansville, Ind.
Michael Glennon, of South Lebanon, Ohio
Shawn Gompa, of Clinton, Miss.
Jennifer Huang, of Granger, Ind.
Jacob Huff, of Noblesville, Ind.
Dana Khabbaz, of Valparaiso, Ind.
Victor Lu, of Granger, Ind.
Morgan Mohr, of Kokomo, Ind.
Rahaf Safi, of Plainfield, Ind.
Satyanarayana Nelanuthala, of Noblesville, Ind.
Samantha Strong, of Indianapolis
Emily Sullivan, of Wyoming, Ohio
Lucas Tang, of Portage, Ind.
Vinayak Vedantam, of Richmond, Ind.
Ernest Xi, of Columbus, Ind.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University has announced that 18 entering freshmen and two current IU students will join the more than 500 others who have been named Wells Scholars since the first class enrolled in 1990.

The incoming class includes several students who are the first from their high schools to receive this prestigious award.

The scholarship, created in honor of the late IU Chancellor Herman B Wells, ranks among the most competitive and prestigious awards offered by any American university. Wells Scholars have gone on to win more than 70 national and international scholarships, fellowships and grants, such as the Rhodes, Truman, Marshall, Soros, Mitchell, Churchill, Gates Cambridge, Hertz, Luce, Beinecke, Fulbright and Goldwater.

Today, many Wells Scholars alumni are studying or working in Indiana, throughout the country and overseas in medicine, business, education, law, the arts and other fields. There are Wells Scholars who hold senior positions in major corporations and others who have started their own businesses. Some serve in government or as clergy. Others are engaged in relief and service efforts in the United States and abroad or are scholars and teachers at renowned educational institutions such as Yale, MIT, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania and IU itself.

On his 90th birthday, Chancellor Wells was officially presented with the prestigious scholarship program as a gift from his many friends and admirers. Since his death in the spring of 2000, this community of talented and dedicated young scholars has remained a permanent legacy of his educational vision.

Incoming freshman Wells Scholars receive full tuition and course-related fees, as well as a living stipend, for four years of undergraduate study on the Bloomington campus. Scholars may choose to spend up to one of those years studying abroad. Newly named recipients who are already students at IU receive tuition, fees and a stipend for their remaining undergraduate years. Wells Scholars hold named scholarships within the program that honor donors or those donors designate.

The Wells program also offers special seminars; support for a summer research or service project, creative activity or internship; and a wide range of extracurricular events and activities. The Wells program emphasizes close interaction with faculty, academic and career advising, opportunities for public service and contact with distinguished visitors.

Freshman Wells Scholars are nominated by their high schools or the IU Office of Admissions and selected for having demonstrated exceptional qualities of character, leadership and distinction both inside and outside the classroom. Internal Wells Scholars are nominated by IU Bloomington faculty and selected for similar qualities.

The 20 new Wells Scholars, their hometowns and their high schools are:

• Martin Aguinis, of Delray Beach, Fla. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Aguinis is one of two students from Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla., the first students from that school. President of the school's new National Business Honor Society chapter his senior year, he also served his junior year as vice president of the school's chapter of DECA, a student organization for emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in business.

Teamed with his twin sister, Michelle, he won the DECA state championship and placed second in international competition in finance operations research. He also received the DECA Award of Excellence. He was inducted into the National Honor and the Spanish National Honor societies and served as a member of the research committee of the Psi Alpha Psychology National Honor Society, for which he conducted behavioral experiments on social pressure.

Born in Argentina, he was active in the Spanish River High School Latin American Club, working toward expanding awareness of Latino culture. Outside school, he was vice president of recruitment and then vice president of community service for the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. A black belt in tae kwon do, he has worked as a mentor and fitness trainer for youngsters and volunteered as a youth counselor.

Aguinis attended the IU Kelley School of Business Junior Executive Institute and plans to major in business. He will hold the Roy G. and Fern B. Tobias Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15615.html

• Michelle Aguinis, of Delray Beach, Fla. An AP Scholar with Distinction, Aguinis is one of two students from Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla., the first students from that school. Elected by the student body and faculty to lead student council and organize student activities her senior year as Miss Spanish River, she also received the principal's award, which is given to the senior who not only excels academically but also represents the ethics and values of the school and community.

A three-year member of her school's chapter of the student business organization DECA, she teamed with her twin brother, Martin, winning the DECA state championship and placing second in international competition in finance operations research. She was elected to the Spanish River High School National Honor, Spanish Honor and National Business Honor societies. She was also a member of the Latin American Club, reflecting her interest in sharing her own international background as a native of Argentina.

A black belt in tae kwon do, she founded and taught a summer tae kwon do program for underprivileged children. She was also a member of the SRHS varsity dance team and the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization.

Aguinis interned with a financial planning firm, attended the IU Kelley School of Business Junior Executive Institute, and plans to major in business. She will hold the Byron K. Elliott Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15616.html

• Roshni Bag, of Carmel, Ind. The first Wells Scholar from University High School of Indiana in Carmel and an AP Scholar with Distinction, Bag received a Grand Award of fourth place in Medicine and Health in the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair international competition. She was a finalist in the 2013 Junior Science and Humanities Symposium national science competition and received first-place awards in 2011 and 2012 at the regional level for her research paper and poster presentations.

She has been a summer research intern at the IU Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research at the IU School of Medicine and has volunteered at Indianapolis-area hospitals and care centers. She was elected to the Science National Honor Society and served as co-president of her school's chemistry club. She founded and served two terms as president of the University High School Green Club.

She was also co-captain of the tennis team, was named to the Indiana Academic All-State Tennis Team and earned a first-degree black belt in tae kwon do. In 2012, she was selected to participate in the ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum with students from across the nation and received a social project grant, which she used to develop the Teen Court Leadership Summit for Reach for Youth in Central Indiana. She is a member of the board of directors and a Teen Court attorney for Reach for Youth and was named a 2013 Outstanding Youth Volunteer by United Way of Central Indiana.

Bag plans to major in cognitive science in preparation for a career in medicine. She will hold the Reichle Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15617.html

• Elisa Dickey, of Sala Bolognese, Italy. She is the first Wells Scholar from Liceo Ginnasio Luigi Galvani in Bologna, Italy. Born in Italy, she is the first freshman Wells Scholar to graduate from a high school outside the United States. She was recognized for her outstanding academic achievement at Galvani and at the Achimota School in Accra, Ghana, where she was a student her junior year.

She studied Russian and Hindi outside school and participated in the Model United Nations at LUISS University in Rome. She was involved in the Network for Youth Participation in Democratic Life, a European Union project aimed at promoting communication between the youth and local government in Spain, Lithuania and Italy. She was also a member of Libera, an anti-mafia organization aimed at increasing awareness of organized crime. Her volunteer work included teaching English in the Surya Vinayak English School for children in need in Bhaktapur, Nepal in the summer of 2010 and tutoring middle school students at the youth center La Villa in Bologna.

A student of Shotokan karate, she earned first and second places in numerous competitions. She sang in the Ad Maiora, La Bottega Della Voce choir and in the chorus of the Italian premiere of "Les Miserables." At IU, Dickey plans to major in international relations, public health and African studies.

She will hold the Luther S. and Louise Roehm Scholarship and the Marita R. Scherer Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15618.html

• Alexander Dunn, of Portland, Ind. Dunn graduated from Jay County High School, where he was valedictorian and twice won the Character Counts Award. He was also honored with the U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award, the U.S. Air Force Outstanding Mathematics and Science Award and the Shroyer Christian Love Scholarship. He won second in the state Optimist International Essay Competition and was a delegate to Hoosier Boys State.

President of his class junior year, he served as a class officer and a member of student council all four years. He was elected to the National Honor Society and was a member of Key Club, which he served as president his sophomore year; Foreign Exchange Club; Junior Classical League; and the German club. He played varsity soccer and baseball all four years, captained soccer his junior year and both teams his senior year, and was named to Academic All-State teams in both sports.

Dunn served on the Indiana High School Athletic Association statewide committee, facilitating a partnership with Special Olympics Indiana to increase volunteerism, fundraising and awareness. He coached the Jay County Panthers Special Olympics Basketball Team to the 2013 state championship and will coach at the 2014 national games. His other volunteer activities included co-founding a cancer fundraiser and Trick-or-Treat for Food.

Dunn plans to major in biology and history. He will hold the Arthur and Thelma Karch Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15619.html

• Aaron Dy, of Evansville, Ind. A senior at IU and a 21st Century Scholar, Dy is majoring in physics and minoring in mathematics and biology. He has been elected to Phi Beta Kappa and awarded the Kochert Scholarship by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Brown Memorial Scholarship by the Department of Physics. He is focused on the application of physical principles and technologies to biomedical problems, particularly as they relate to cancer research.

He is beginning his fourth year as a research assistant at the IU Biocomplexity Institute, where he is working under James Glazier, the institute director. This past spring he received a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates grant for his work with the institute. With a second NSF REU grant, he spent the summer at the University of Colorado working to develop a new 3-D hydro-focused cytometer for biofuel analysis. His work as a medical physics intern at the Evansville Deaconess Hospital and the IU Health Proton Therapy Center will be presented at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine conference.

Dy graduated from Harrison High School as valedictorian. As an entering IU freshman, he received the Della J. Evans Scholarship from the Hutton Honors College and an IU Excellence Scholarship. He has been a Hutton Honors College mentor and an undergraduate math instructor and is president of the IU College Democrats. He will hold an Urcel Daniel Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15620.html

• Michael Glennon, of South Lebanon, Ohio. A National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, Glennon is the first Wells Scholar from Kings High School in Kings Mills, Ohio. A member of the school's mock trial team for the past four years, he has been recognized as an Outstanding Attorney and Outstanding Witness in regional competitions.

He played in the Kings High jazz and marching bands, earning recognition as an outstanding soloist at The Ohio State University Jazz Festival, and has sung in One Knight Only, an a cappella group, and in his church choir. As a member of the National Honor Society, he taught elementary school children in a program called Crystal Clear Science and helped organize a dance to raise funds for NHS and various charitable organizations. He was a member of the Spanish club and through a community organization called Su Casa tutored Hispanic children.

Active in Boy Scouts, he has been a patrol leader quartermaster and earned Eagle rank with a construction project at his church. He has also participated in youth group community service mission trips to Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis. At IU, Glennon plans to study chemistry and physics and perhaps combine them with his interest in law.

He will hold the Ellsworth A. and Louise Schan Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15622.html

• Shawn Gompa, of Clinton, Miss. The first Wells Scholar from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, Gompa competed on teams that won four Mu Alpha Theta math and two Science Olympiad state championships, a first in botany and the National Army and Naval Research Award at the state Science Fair, and firsts in state in Technology Bowl (twice) and in Technological Debate. He earned recognition at NSF-funded research programs and at related conferences.

His team won the Regional Outstanding Award, the second highest award, in the International Competition in Mathematics and Modeling. His team won state twice in National Science Bowl competition and was first in the Einstein Division Team Challenge at the national level. At the Mississippi Tournament in Science and Math, his team twice won the Quiz Bowl competition, and he took first in biology. He was on the Outstanding Delegation at the Mississippi Model Security Council and was president of his school's chapter.

He won numerous state debate awards and second as a witness at the Mississippi Bar Mock Trial competition. He was an officer in the National Honor Society and other organizations; and his community service included fundraising, tutoring, and working with Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society and his Hindu temple.

Gompa plans to study neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology and legal studies. He will hold a William Lowe Bryan Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15623.html

• Jennifer Huang, of Granger, Ind. A National Merit Scholar, a U.S. Presidential Scholar semifinalist and an AP Scholar with Distinction, Huang graduated as co-valedictorian at Penn High School in Mishawaka and was honored with the Dan Kish Award for team spirit and positive attitude.

A member of the Penn Academic Spell Bowl team, which won three state championships, she served as co-captain her senior year and holds the state record for most words spelled correctly in competition. She was also a member and senior co-captain of the Math Academic Super Bowl team, which reached the state finals three times, and a member of the Knowledge Masters team, which won the state championship in 2011.

A member of student council, she was freshman class president and executive treasurer her senior year. She performed as principal cellist in the Penn Symphonic and Spring Musical Pit orchestras, was senior concerto soloist, was cellist in the Cantabile Piano Trio and participated in the Fischoff Chamber Music Mentoring Program. Twice selected for the Indiana All-State Orchestra, she was principal cellist in 2013. She coordinated the National Honor Society tutoring program and was a freshman mentor and a member of the Key and French clubs.

Huang received an Award of Excellence for her studies in France with the IU Honors Program in Foreign Languages and plans to major in neuroscience. She will hold the Esther Reese Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15624.html

• Jacob Huff, of Noblesville, Ind. A National Merit Scholar and salutatorian, Huff graduated from Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis, where he received awards as the highest-scoring male student on both the SAT and the ACT and multiple awards for being the outstanding student in a wide range of classes.

A winner in the What Kids Can Do 2010 national poetry contest, he also won an area Phi Beta Kappa Outstanding Academic Achievement Award and second place in the Indiana Association of School Principals 2012 Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest. At Heritage Christian, he served on student council as class president his freshman and junior years and in National Honor Society as the historian. He played electric and double bass in the jazz band, orchestra and pit orchestra.

A varsity soccer player for four years, serving as captain his senior year, he was named to the Academic All-State Team his junior and senior years by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association. He also led the school's Adventure Club, which hiked part of the Appalachian Trail. Huff provided community service on international mission trips and co-founded Thread Heads, an organization that knits items and undertakes other activities to raise funds to fight the AIDS epidemic in South Africa.

Huff plans to major in political science. He will hold the Robert L. and Margaret Gary Sutter Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15625.html

• Dana Khabbaz, of Valparaiso, Ind. An AP Scholar, Khabbaz graduated from Valparaiso High School, where she was salutatorian of her class. A four-year competitor on the school speech and debate team, she served as vice president her senior year, captained the Congressional Debate team three years and was a state finalist all four years.

She qualified for the national tournament in Congressional Debate as a sophomore and in Public Forum her senior year. Valparaiso High School named her the Outstanding Varsity Congress Speaker, and she received the National Forensic League Degree of Premier Distinction. Her Mock Trial team qualified for state her freshman year, and her Model United Nations team was named the best delegation at an international conference her senior year.

A member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish and Latin clubs, she earned a Silver and two Bronze medals on the National Spanish Exam and a Gold on the National Latin Exam. She mentored middle school children through Team LEAD (Leadership, Empathy, Accountability, Discussion) and was a member of the Alliance of Students Against Poverty. As a member of the Muslim Student Association and president her senior year, she organized interfaith discussions and other events, such as the Fast-a-Thon and a fundraiser for international humanitarian aid.

Khabbaz plans to major in political science and international studies. She will hold the Robert A. Lucas Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15626.html

• Victor Lu, of Granger, Ind. A National Merit Scholar and a National AP Scholar, Lu graduated as co-valedictorian at Penn High School in Mishawaka. He was the founder and two-year president of the Penn Economics and Investment Club, which placed fourth in the 2013 national finals of the Junior Achievement Titan Challenge. The challenge simulates production, investment and marketing decisions. He was a two-year captain of the Euro/Fed Challenge team and the co-founder and partner in GOML LLC.

He received the 2013 United States Junior Chamber International Senate Foundation and the Indiana State Elks Association awards for academic achievement, leadership, character and community service. A member of the 2011 state championship Knowledge Masters team, he also captained the Penn Public Forum Debate team and qualified for state competition his junior and senior years.

He served on student council four years and as class president sophomore year and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was a Penn Kingsmen tutor and served on the advisory board. He played varsity tennis for three years, reaching the IHSAA state finals in 2011, and was team captain and named to the Indiana All-State Academic Team his senior year. His community service included volunteering at a medical center and a sports camp.

Lu plans to major in finance, economics and statistics. He will hold the City Securities Corporation Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15627.html

• Morgan Mohr, of Kokomo, Ind. A National AP Scholar, Mohr graduated as valedictorian from Kokomo High School, where she was a four-year member of the varsity debate team. A four-time national qualifier, competing in Policy, Public Forum and Congress, she was named to the Top 18 in the Nation in Public Forum Debate and received the National Forensic League Academic All-American Award and the Outstanding Distinction Degree.

A three-year member of Future Business Leaders of America, she won state championships in Emerging Business Issues, Public Speaking and Economics. She founded the Kokomo High School Investment Club and served as its president. She also served as vice president of Student Council, founded its tutoring program and led its charity efforts. She was the Kokomo High School delegate to Hoosier Girls State and a member of the National Honor Society.

Mohr served on the Mayor's Youth Advisory Board and founded and taught in a Spanish-language program. She played varsity tennis four years, served as captain or co-captain for three, was named most valuable player and was selected for the Academic All-State Team. On the varsity volleyball team for three years, she won the Mental Attitude Award. Her many horsemanship awards include being named American Morgan Horse Association Youth of the Year regional winner.

Mohr plans to major in political science, gender studies and economics. She will hold the William H. Wolfe Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15628.html

• Rahaf Safi, of Plainfield, Ind. An IU senior, Safi is completing majors in political science and philosophy and a certificate in PACE (Political and Civic Engagement). She has been honored with a 2013 Truman Scholarship, a national award given to outstanding U.S. students with a strong record of leadership and a commitment to a career in public service. Her other awards include the Onward! Curtis R. Simic Scholarship for Leaders and the Biddle Award in Philosophy as the undergraduate who best connects the study of philosophy to public service.

With interests in human rights, social justice and the rule of law, she founded and serves as president of Oxfam at IU, which was awarded a $5,000 Metz Grant to provide international assistance to women at risk. She designed a course on food policy and poverty and works to inform others about food insecurity and related issues. As an intern with the ACLU in Washington, D.C., she focused on issues related to juvenile detention centers.

She has also interned with the IU Center for the Study of Global Change and the Hutton Honors College diversity and student programs office. She is a member of the Board of Aeons, which provides student perspectives to the IU president, and the PACE Student Advisory Board. As part of IU Americorps, she served as a legal advocate for Middle Way House, a shelter for abused women.

Safi graduated from Plainfield High School. She will hold a LaVelle Fortenberry Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15290.html

• Satyanarayana Nelanuthala, of Noblesville, Ind. An AP Scholar, Nelanuthala graduated from Noblesville High School, where he was named the most successful science student in the graduating class. He won first prize at the Noblesville Science Fair and went on to be a finalist at the Indiana Junior Academy of Science.

While attending Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, W.Va., his freshman and sophomore years, he was a member of the state Science Bowl championship team, which qualified for national competition, and captained the team that twice won the state Junior Engineering Technology Society championship. He competed on Quiz Bowl teams that qualified for national competition all four years.

His Bridgeport team finished second in state his first two years; and he captained the Noblesville team, which finished in the top eight in Indiana his junior and senior years. He also captained the Noblesville Academic Super Bowl team his senior year. He was a member of Key Club for three years and elected to the Noblesville National Honor Society. He worked at GreenVision, a non-governmental agency in India, on projects that included AIDS awareness seminars for those living in slums and medical camps for the poor and residents in rural areas.

After interning at a hospital in India, where he observed brain surgeries and other procedures, he plans to major in neuroscience at IU. He will hold the Hutton-Heim and the Edward L. Hutton scholarships within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15629.html

• Samantha Strong, of Indianapolis. An AP Scholar, Strong graduated from Lawrence Central High School, where she earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma. She was editor-in-chief for two years of the school's student newspaper, Cub Reporter, and was twice named Journalist of the Year.

She won national awards from Quill and Scroll and from Columbia University for Editorial Writing and recognition from the Indiana High School Press Association and others, including being named a finalist for the IHSPA Student Journalist of the Year award.

President of the Lawrence Central High School speech team, she received the Degree of Outstanding Distinction from the National Forensic League, placing fifth in state in International Extemporaneous in 2013, and captained the Academic Super Bowl History and English teams. President of the National Honor Society, she was also a member of the Quill and Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists and received an Award of Excellence for her studies in France with the IU Honors Program in Foreign Languages.

Captain of the varsity swim team, she was named to the Academic All-State team and is ranked 13th in the nation for female triathletes under 20. Her service to others includes founding a club to combat adolescent depression and volunteering at Riley Hospital for Children.

Strong plans to study journalism as an Ernie Pyle Scholar and neuroscience. She will hold the Indiana Bell Telephone Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15631.html

• Emily Sullivan, of Wyoming, Ohio. A National AP Scholar, Sullivan graduated from Wyoming High School, where she founded a Shakespeare competition. Active in both the Wyoming Drama Program and the Groundlings Program of the professional Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, she won the regional National Shakespeare Competition and was named a semifinalist at the 30th annual national competition at Lincoln Center in New York in 2013.

Her roles have included Golde in "Fiddler on the Roof" and Henry in "Henry V"; and she has studied voice, piano and cello, performing at school and in competitions. She has contributed to her school's literary magazine, Icarus; the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop publication Ascension; and Women Writing for (a) Change, a nonprofit organization that encourages writing as a means to nurture and celebrate the individual's voice.

At her school, Sullivan was elected a member of the Cum Laude and National Honor societies and received the Thomas Jefferson Book Award for scholarship, leadership and citizenship. A member of the Latin Honor Society, she was named a Silver Medalist in the National Latin Exam and the Wyoming Latin IV Student of the Year. Her volunteer activities include serving meals at the Tender Mercies homeless shelter, and she has been honored by the YMCA for displaying character and core values.

Sullivan plans to major in theater and drama and in English. She will hold the James and Virginia Cozad Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15632.html

• Lucas Tang, of Portage, Ind. The first Wells Scholar from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Tang graduated summa cum laude and received the Exemplary Academic Effort in the Senior Year award for having the highest grade-point average. He competed on the school's Science Olympiad team all four years, was senior co-captain and won numerous awards at state in forensics, astronomy and helicopters.

In regional competitions he won firsts in forensics, astronomy, helicopter and microbe mission. A member of the Prefect Council Academic and Sacristan boards, he was elected to the National Honor, Spanish National Honor and Blue Key societies and was awarded the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award.

He participated as a Lilly Scholar in IU's Jim Holland Summer Biology Research Program for two years and interned at the University of Notre Dame QuarkNet summer program. A four-year member of the varsity tennis and baseball teams, Tang co-captained both teams his senior year. He volunteered for four years with the Porter Challenger baseball league for children with disabilities. He also volunteered at a local hospital and a nursing home and has been active in his church as an altar server and youth group leader.

Tang plans to major in biology and to participate in the Integrated Freshman Learning Experience and the Science, Technology and Research Scholars mentored-research programs. He will hold the Krannert Charitable Trust Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15633.html

• Vinayak Vedantam, of Richmond, Ind. An AP Scholar with Honor, Vedantam graduated from Richmond High School, where he was president of the National Honor Society for three years. A member of the Science Academic Bowl team that won the state championship his sophomore year, he served the team as captain for three years.

He also led the Math Academic team as co-captain for three years and the Social Studies Academic team as co-captain for one year. He was treasurer of the Richmond Marching Band, which performed in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 Parade, and played flute in the marching and concert bands. He won three gold awards in state competition for solo performances and received the Richmond Band Boosters Award for musicianship.

He was a two-year member of the varsity cross country and track teams. Active in Boy Scouts, he was a patrol leader for three years. Vedantam has been working in a faculty research lab at IU East on the effect of environmental toxins on human RNA and has interned with doctors in several specialties at Reid Hospital.

Vedantam plans to major in biochemistry and computer science and to participate in STARS, the IU Science, Technology and Research Scholars mentored-research program. He will hold the Alice Adelle Freese Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15634.html

• Ernest Xi, of Columbus, Ind. A graduate of Columbus North High School, Xi was active in academic competitions, including Brain Game, Maverick Challenge, Econ Challenge, Business Professionals of America and the Purdue Entrepreneurship Academy. At Business Professionals of America leadership conferences, he won regional and state awards, including third in state in advanced accounting, and qualified for national competition.

He was a finalist in the Maverick Challenge, a business planning competition intended to spark high school students' interest in entrepreneurship, and attended the Opportunities to Learn About Business program at Wabash College. A member of the National Honor Society, he raised funds to benefit Heifer International, the Salvation Army and patients in Ethiopia; worked on housing repair for those in need; and was honored with the Bartholomew County Youth Leadership award. He is also active through his church.

A member of the Columbus North varsity tennis team for four years, he was captain for two and named to the All-State Second Team and the Academic All-State First Team. He received Mental Attitude and Sportsmanship awards his sophomore year and was named MVP his senior year. He worked as a student administrative assistant in the Supply Chain Department of the Global Engine Exchange Program at Cummins Engine Company and plans to major in finance and accounting.

He will hold the Cummins Engine Company Scholarship within the Wells Scholars Program. Photo: newsinfo.iu.edu/asset/page/normal/15635.html

For more information about the Wells Scholars Program, call 812-855-9491.

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